eGfoodblog: Live It Up

[prasantrin]

When snowangel posted your teaser pics, I knew I had seen them before, but I thought they were from a previous blog. But it was from your website! I browsed through your online store a couple of seeks ago when I found the link in one of your replies (I think in a topic having to do with France). I love the cutting boards!

And the fake-flower garden is pretty original--something I could definitely do (I tend to kill all my plants). And of course, the cats are adorable. I know I shouldn't condone obesity in cats (my own cat was several pounds overweight until she went on a strict diet, and is now a svelte 8-ish pounds), but I love fat cats! Pele looks like a sweetheart, too, though Perdita looks a bit like a senorita (a cute one, though!).

[Live It Up]

When snowangel posted your teaser pics, I knew I had seen them before, but I thought they were from a previous blog.  But it was from your website!  I browsed through your online store a couple of seeks ago when I found the link in one of your replies (I think in a topic having to do with France).  I love the cutting boards!

And the fake-flower garden is pretty original--something I could definitely do (I tend to kill all my plants).  And of course, the cats are adorable.  I know I shouldn't condone obesity in cats (my own cat was several pounds overweight until she went on a strict diet, and is now a svelte 8-ish pounds), but I love fat cats!  Pele looks like a sweetheart, too, though Perdita looks a bit like a senorita (a cute one, though!).

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Thanks Prasantrin! I should point out that I had nothing to do with the fake flower garden other than existing near it and photographing it. Actually, it took me a ridiculously long time to notice that the flowers in the garden were fake. I guess I should mention for those who don't know that the East Village, unlike most neighborhoods in NYC has lots of lots that are community gardens. I have no idea if the fake garden next door is a community garden, but there's a billboard in it. Maybe I'll get a picture of that tomorrow as well.

We have tried putting Pele on a diet, but he just eats all of Perdita's food and terrorizes her. They don't get along as it is, so increasing the competition for food is a bad thing. He seriously cut her side a few months ago and she had to wear a cone...it was really sad. But I mixed her medicine in with sour cream and fed it to her with a spoon, so she wasn't too unhappy.

[Live It Up]

So, it's late and I think I am going to wait til the morning to post my dinner pics. TOD was a respectable 9:45, but loading the pictures on my laptop is a PITA, so I'll do it at work where it's quick and easy. Anyhoo, goodnight, see you in the morning.

[mizducky]

New York suburbs grrl saluting New York City grrl. Respect!

I too dig your store, and sympathize with how it eats all your time.

And oh those miniscule East Coast city kitchens. I remember cooking a memorable dinner once in a friend's phone booth of a kitchen in Boston.

Looking forward to lots of New York nostalgia.

[Shelby]

Hi Liveitup!

I have lurked here for a while and just joined not too long ago.

I love your store! I wish you'd start selling online 'cause I'm a big internet shopper and I'm in Kansas dang it. Too far away to drop in.

Your fridge looks like my fridge so I feel an immediate bond with you!!

[Live It Up]

Back to yesterday's lunch--We got food from a Cuban restaurant called Cafecito. I've only had a couple of their items, but I really like their cubano, so that's what I had.

I was way too hungry to wait to get a good picture before I could eat. Here's the half I didn't eat--it's less blurry.

The problem with this sandwich is that it's so good I want to eat the whole thing, but it's too meaty, so if I do eat the whole thing I feel sick.

Josh gets these little burgers. They call them frita cubana and they come with yuca fries. I stole a few of his fries.

Lunch is a pain.

[Live It Up]

I go to the store almost every day and almost always on my way home from the gym. It's pretty embarrassing that the people who work there always see me covered in sweat. I would shower at the gym, but then that's just more stuff I have to carry around with me, and my gym bag is already bigger than my weekend suitcase. So, I went to the store to get some chicken breast, but I guess they don't have breasts with skin and bones anymore, so I had to buy a whole chicken. I cut it up and threw the leg quarters, wings and back in the freezer. For dinner I made one of Josh's absolute favorites--we just call it spicy soup. Here are some of the ingredients.

I thought I was gathering all of the ingredients, but as I cooked I realized there were a couple of things I left out. I make this all the time, but it's all just approximate--yesterday I used 6 plum tomatoes and 6 dried chipotle chiles, but those amounts vary. Sometimes if the tomatoes don't look good or I don't have enough I add a red pepper. First step is poaching the chicken in the chicken broth. I added some cumin seed and a bay leaf to this. At the same time, toast the chiles in a cast iron pan (I'm doing the garlic at the same time) then cover the chiles with hot water to soak.

I stem and deseed the chiles after I toast them, but before they soak. I also added a pasilla chile to this.

Griddle roast the tomatoes (also the onion, not shown--I cut it into slices first)

Then put chiles, garlic, tomatoes, and onion in the blender and whizz til smoothish.

Remove chicken from broth and shred the meat. Add the blended stuff to the broth. Add the frozen corn (2 cups--sometimes I defrost first and sometimes I don't) and shredded chicken. Season. You can serve lime wedges as a garnish, but I like to put the juice of a whole lime right in 'cause I think it really needs it.

I also take tortilla, cut them into strips, coat with some cooking spray and bake at 450 til they're crispy. Other garnishes--chopped red onion, chopped jalepeno, cilantro, and avocado (for me).

Here's the final soup, blurry as usual.

Warning: the way I make this soup would be way too spicy for most people. I like it almost painfully hot, but it's hard to predict how hot the chipotles are going to be. Usually 6 is good, but sometimes that's not quite enough so I add chipotle powder.

So, there you go, my spicy soup.

[Live It Up]

After we ate I also prepped dinner for tonight. I made a leek and feta pie from this book.

I have had another version of basically the same book by Rena Salaman for years and it was one of my favorites. It's out of print, though, and I wanted to get it as a gift for a friend. Well, a couple of weeks ago I was in Costco with my mom and saw this. It's all the recipes from her other book plus a bunch more. The price was $5.99! If you see this book, pick it up--it also makes a good coaster. It might not be the most authentic Greek cookbook out there, but I have made many of the recipes in it and I have only had one minor disappointment. There are a bunch of other books in the same series that I picked up as well, but I haven't made anything from them yet.

So, here's the leek pie--I made the batter at put it in a spring form pan in the fridge. It's all ready to be popped in the oven when I get home tonight.

I didn't take any pictures of the process, but it was really quick and easy. You saute leeks and onions in olive oil and butter (lots) until they're soft. Mix up eggs, flour, baking soda, yogurt, and feta cheese. The recipe also called for gruyere or parmesan which are nothing alike. I happened to have exactly the right amount of Greek graviera cheese in my fridge, so I used that instead. It also called for dill, which I don't really like so I subbed some really nice fresh oregano. So, hopefully it will taste good tonight.

[Live It Up]

Phew! almost caught up--my DSL keep flickering in and out so it's taking forever for me to post. Breakfast: half an everything bagel with cream cheese and some strawberries. And Guatemala Antigua coffee.

I burnt the bagel a little, but whatever. Bagels--as a New Yorker, I have (predictably) pretty strong feelings about bagels. Growing up I never ate them toasted unless they were stale (meaning a day old), and then I usually had them with butter. However, I've realized that this doesn't work if the bagel sucks (as many bagels do). But, I don't like my cream cheese to melt, so I toast most bagels, wait for it to cool, and then apply the cream cheese (not whipped!). When I worked at alt.coffee I ate a bagel almost every day for at least 5 years. I got to the point where they were starting to make me sick. So, then I went a year without eating a bagel. I'm back on them now, but only occasionally. If I had some time, I'd go to the farmer's market and get some heirloom tomatoes to have with a bagel--yummy!

[Live It Up]

New York suburbs grrl saluting New York City grrl. Respect!

I too dig your store, and sympathize with how it eats all your time.

And oh those miniscule East Coast city kitchens. I remember cooking a memorable dinner once in a friend's phone booth of a kitchen in Boston.

Looking forward to lots of New York nostalgia.

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Hi! The funny thing is that my kitchen is actually pretty big (it's the biggest room in the house) it's just that I have so much damn furniture in it that it takes up all the floor space. All these apartment kitchens have about 2 square feet of counter space if you're lucky, so you have to have an island or something else. When I first moved in I didn't have the island, so I was balancing my cutting board on the corner of the sink. Really dangerous. On the right of my sink I have a big wooden bar. I bought it for my last apartment where it fit perfectly, but it's very awkward in this place. I also have a table to the left of the fridge if you pull it out from the wall so you can seat people all around it, then you can't open the fridge door. Maybe I'll get some pictures of that when I get home.

[Live It Up]

Hi Liveitup!

I have lurked here for a while and just joined not too long ago.

I love your store!  I wish you'd start selling online 'cause I'm a big internet shopper  and I'm in Kansas dang it.  Too far away to drop in.

Your fridge looks like my fridge so I feel an immediate bond with you!!

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Thanks Shelby--not to be too self-promoting, but you can buy stuff on our website. Josh and I did basically the whole website ourselves, except for the homepage and the navigation bar. Neither of us knows much about programming, so it was a long, frustrating process. That's why there aren't many items for sale on the site, but there are some.

[Shelby]

Hi Liveitup!

I have lurked here for a while and just joined not too long ago.

I love your store!  I wish you'd start selling online 'cause I'm a big internet shopper  and I'm in Kansas dang it.  Too far away to drop in.

Your fridge looks like my fridge so I feel an immediate bond with you!!

←

Thanks Shelby--not to be too self-promoting, but you can buy stuff on our website. Josh and I did basically the whole website ourselves, except for the homepage and the navigation bar. Neither of us knows much about programming, so it was a long, frustrating process. That's why there aren't many items for sale on the site, but there are some.

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Oooooh COOL! I just didn't click around enough!! I found your online stuff. Thank you so much!

[MarketStEl]

So I guess now is as good a time as any to show you my fridge. I was going to try to clean it out and make it look all pretty for you guys, but then I decided you would probably want to see it in all its messiness. So, you have been warned: I am a slob. In addition to being a slob, my apartment has exactly zero closets, so I have no place to put things away. Therefore, I have to use furniture to store things which takes up floor space, which makes my apartment very cramped. My kitchen is actually a decent size, but I have so much stuff crammed into it that you can barely move around. So, without further ado:

The fridge

The fridge is a total piece of crap--it freezes everything, and then all the ice melts and floods the crisper. I can't keep fresh vegetables for more than a day usually. Right now I think 90% of the contents in there are cheeses. I have at least 15 kinds of cheese right now. My mom is a flight attendant and she brings me delicious things from all over. So last week she brought me a bunch of my favorite French cheeses, and the week before that I got 3 Italian cheeses. I also have to keep most of my grains and nuts in the fridge because I have pantry moths, so that's part of why it's so full.

I'm not showing you the freezer--it's mostly ice, but there's a lot of stuff encased in the ice.

Here's a shot of my kitchen work space. The fridge is next to the red and white hutch.

Here's another kitchen shot. We put all the open shelving up ourselves. It looks crooked, but that's actually the ceiling that's crooked. There's a serious slope in our apartment.

Some of my pantry. I store my dishes in the bottom part of the red and white unit. They're really hard to get to so I hate putting my dishes away.

Here's the contents of my cabinets.

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Messy fridges, cluttered shelves, cheese fetishes! I love it when I encounter a kindred spirit!

Love your store also. Your sense of whimsy comes through strongly in the selection of merchandise. Those Dutch ovens you teased us with are just as cute.

And oh those miniscule East Coast city kitchens. I remember cooking a memorable dinner once in a friend's phone booth of a kitchen in Boston.

Looking forward to lots of New York nostalgia.

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I don't think I was on hand for that one, Ducks. I think I actually lucked out during my years in Boston in that I never had an apartment with a kitchen as small as the one in the Waverly Walk apartment I lived in from the time I moved to Philly in 1983 until 2000, when I moved to my current digs.

But Manhattan takes compactness to a whole 'nother dimension. Zero closets in one's apartment? I think that even the most efficient "efficiency" apartment in Philadelphia has at least one small closet in which a tenant can hang clothes.

Sometimes I wonder if the access to all those wonderful places, events, restaurants and other amenities is really worth handing over your firstborn child each month in order to rent an oversize closet. I think we strike a much more reasonable balance in Philadelphia. Millions of Manhattanites obviously disagree with me, but some of them have been defecting of late.

Carry on with your 24/7 life, Jessica. We're all rooting for you. I wonder how you manage to find the time to blog, even!

[Peter the eater]

Jessica, I'd love to see your store front photo complete with Puerto Rican cyclists and everything else ambient that contributes to the tone of your place.

For a while a few years back my wife embraced kick boxing in a big way. I went along for a bring-your-friend night and loved it too. I tried to find her a used "slam man" but instead wound up with a basic heavy bag which we still use. I got quite good at wrapping her fists - maybe you could post a pic a la "Rocky I" showing how this skill helps you in the kitchen.

[Live It Up]

Jessica, I'd love to see your store front photo complete with Puerto Rican cyclists and everything else ambient that contributes to the tone of your place.

For a while a few years back my wife embraced kick boxing in a big way. I went along for a bring-your-friend night and loved it too. I tried to find her a used "slam man" but instead wound up with a basic heavy bag which we still use. I got quite good at wrapping her fists - maybe you could post a pic a la "Rocky I" showing how this skill helps you in the kitchen.

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I just went outside and I guess it's too hot for even the Puerto Rican dudes 'cause no one is out with their bikes.

I wish I had room for a heavy bag at home, but I can't imagine I ever will. I don't think that kickboxing helps me in the kitchen at all. Certainly hand wraps and boxing gloves only get in the way when you're trying to cook . Sometimes I cook in my work out clothes, so a lot of them have stains on them. The people at my gym probably think I'm the biggest slob in the world, and they're probably right.

[mukki]

Your spicy soup looks really good as does the Cuban sandwich. Just had my first one at a new place called MILK here in LA ~ delicious!

I thought I'd share my painless experience with trimming down a fat kitty. My cat Peanut was pretty chunky when we first got him and stayed so while he had dry food in his diet. We used to call him the 'kitty with titties'. I cut out all dry food, put him on a Wellness wet food diet and, within a few months, he was a lean, mean hunting machine (albeit with a deflated belly pouch!).

[Luckylies]

Yay! neighbour girl! I'm psyched to see what you'll be eating this week! I jealous of your blog- so much time- so much energy! you are a wonderwoman!

I hope to see some pictures of youre lovely baking.

Ya'll are invited to dinner this weekend if you want to come by for one of my silly feasts. I've been wanting to do another multi-mini with some SEASONAL INGREDIENTS. yipee summer...

-Emma Blogwhore Feigenbaum

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oops, I didn't see this earlier. When are you going to blog? Seriously, I nominate you--talk about energy. I wouldn't turn down an invite to your house.

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I'm never blogging- too scatterbrained too A.D.D!

What I meant was you and Josh should come over for dinner this weekend, and perhaps....you'll do all the blogging and I''l do the cooking ( a perfect arrangement in my book) and then perhaps drinks at PDT?

drop me a pm or email and perhaps we can arrange!

[Live It Up]

Your spicy soup looks really good as does the Cuban sandwich. Just had my first one at a new place called MILK here in LA ~ delicious!

I thought I'd share my painless experience with trimming down a fat kitty. My cat Peanut was pretty chunky when we first got him and stayed so while he had dry food in his diet. We used to call him the 'kitty with titties'. I cut out all dry food, put him on a Wellness wet food diet and, within a few months, he was a lean, mean hunting machine (albeit with a deflated belly pouch!).

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Thanks Mukki! I will look into the wellness food.

For lunch we had pizza from two boots. A lot of people don't like two boots, but I think it's great when you're in the mood. However, if you want typical tomato sauce and cheese pizza, it's not what you're looking for. I had the night tripper.

It's sundried tomatoes, roasted garlic, jalepeno pesto, white pie on a spinach crust. It's pretty good, but what I really wanted was the mrs. peel which is a bunch of veggies w/ bread crumbs on a sicilian crust--no cheese.

Josh had the tony clifton.

It's mushrooms, onions and red pepper pesto.

On another note--I was thinking about this the other day because I bought a case of yuengling beer for a party. I am curious what is the basic, cheap local-ish beer in other parts of the country. Yuengling is from PA and it's only been available in NY for a few years, but it seems so have taken over. Costco always has it for about $17 a case and my chinese market carries it for $6.5 a 6 pack. So, what's the fall back beer where you are?

[markemorse]

Heineken.

Nice blog, thanks!

[snowangel]

Jessica, how do you make decisions on what to carry in the store?

[jean_genie]

For lunch we had pizza from two boots. A lot of people don't like two boots, but I think it's great when you're in the mood. However, if you want typical tomato sauce and cheese pizza, it's not what you're looking for. I had the night tripper.

It's sundried tomatoes, roasted garlic, jalepeno pesto, white pie on a spinach crust. It's pretty good, but what I really wanted was the mrs. peel which is a bunch of veggies w/ bread crumbs on a sicilian crust--no cheese.

Josh had the tony clifton.

It's mushrooms, onions and red pepper pesto.

On another note--I was thinking about this the other day because I bought a case of yuengling beer for a party. I am curious what is the basic, cheap local-ish beer in other parts of the country. Yuengling is from PA and it's only been available in NY for a few years, but it seems so have taken over. Costco always has it for about $17 a case and my chinese market carries it for $6.5 a 6 pack. So, what's the fall back beer where you are?

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Wow, pizzas in New York are huge! Are they usually that big there?

Thanks for blogging Hubby (and I) will be going to NYC for his job training for 2-3 months in a few weeks' time, and this blog gives an interesting introduction to New York.

[Live It Up]

Jessica, how do you make decisions on what to carry in the store?

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Well, deciding what to carry in the store is the best part of the job--if you like shopping, that is. There are a few guidelines--we try to keep the stuff in the store pretty affordable, or at least a good value for what it is. We also try to keep the items on the useful side, not too knick-knacky. Other than that it's really just what we like and what our customer ask us for. I do wind up carrying a lot of stuff that I want for myself, so a lot of the items from the store end up in my home. But, hey, that's the number one benefit of having your own store.

[Live It Up]

For lunch we had pizza from two boots. A lot of people don't like two boots, but I think it's great when you're in the mood. However, if you want typical tomato sauce and cheese pizza, it's not what you're looking for. I had the night tripper.

It's sundried tomatoes, roasted garlic, jalepeno pesto, white pie on a spinach crust. It's pretty good, but what I really wanted was the mrs. peel which is a bunch of veggies w/ bread crumbs on a sicilian crust--no cheese.

Josh had the tony clifton.

It's mushrooms, onions and red pepper pesto.

On another note--I was thinking about this the other day because I bought a case of yuengling beer for a party. I am curious what is the basic, cheap local-ish beer in other parts of the country. Yuengling is from PA and it's only been available in NY for a few years, but it seems so have taken over. Costco always has it for about $17 a case and my chinese market carries it for $6.5 a 6 pack. So, what's the fall back beer where you are?

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Wow, pizzas in New York are huge! Are they usually that big there?

Thanks for blogging Hubby (and I) will be going to NYC for his job training for 2-3 months in a few weeks' time, and this blog gives an interesting introduction to New York.

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This is one unique thing about NY pizza--that you can buy a slice just about any where. If you're getting a whole pie, the pizza is not usually that big. But, yeah, slices are huge. I ate 1 slice for lunch, Josh had 2.

edited to note that the plate that the pizza is on is actually tiny--probably 6 inches across, so the pizza may not be as big as it appears.

Edited July 11, 2007 by Live It Up (log)

[C. sapidus]

Hi, Jessica: It sounds like your home turf overlaps with my sister’s (although the link in your first post just showed North America). I used to visit the East Village/LES twice yearly, usually Labor Day and sometime during peak rose season at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. It has been way to long since my last visit, so I’m very interested to see your take on the ‘hood..

Your spicy soup sounds delicious, your store looks like great fun, and having a second fridge is da bomb. Blog on!

[Live It Up]

Ah, I had no idea my map link wasn't working (when I'm logged into my email it automatically goes to my maps) try this